Out of sorts

The little kids are still gone to Hawaii until Sunday afternoon, so it has been just Sierra & I for a whole week. It has been fun to spend extra time with her. She is so busy that I cherish the few moments that I get to spend with her during her hectic days. She has had a couple of performances for drill this week and we have been able to go out to dinner with Jim a couple of times. We've watched some tv, and had fun conversation. I am so impressed with the woman she is becoming. She is doing well in school, she's polite & gets along well with her friends. She has made wise choices and continues to excel in whatever she puts her mind too. I am so proud of her. It will be nice when the little ones come back and we can have our family unit together again. Then hopefully we won't feel so out of sorts.

Justice & Montana are having a blast in Hawaii. They have called daily and give me the update. Swimming, sunset watching, Polynesian cultural Center, snorkeling (Justice had a snorkel full of water/panic moment but was fine), more swimming, shopping, extinct volcano exploring??, and more swimming. So glad they are having fun! Although I can't wait to have them home again!

With the kids gone or busy, I've had a lot of free time that I've been able to spend with Jim. We've been shopping, watching movies, having dinners, lunches, and just enjoying a lot of time together. He's so good to me. It's nice to be with someone who appreciates everything about you. I'm so thankful for him. So it will be an adjustment to get back to normal life next week. But I can't wait to squeeze & kiss my babies!!

Hawaii & Twisted Ankles

Today Justice & Montana are heading off on their very first airplane ride. Eric is taking them to Hawaii for a week. They are so excited, and nervous at the same time. They can't wait to see the ocean and explore the beach. I am hoping Justice will come home with a famous "Hawaii tan" and not his normal burn & peel sun exposure. The boy is as white as a snowstorm...hee hee...but hopefully he will be able to enjoy the sun. Montana was a bit nervous about the flight: where she would sit, what she would see out the window, how bumpy it would be, bombs, etc. We talked about it for about 2 days. I tried to calm her fears & told her after a while you wont even notice you are in the air. She was excited to see turtles, whales, & to wear shorts again!! I hope she will be able to relax & enjoy the experience. They promised they would call me as soon as they land. So I can't wait to hear from them.

Sierra had her first high school solo dance competition today. She competed in the 5A jazz division. However, this morning she twisted her ankle at practice and came home with a limp, her ankle wrapped, and a bag of ice. I brought her home and had her elevate her leg & rest. She was so excited about this competition and her routine...but, we were not sure if she was going to be able to dance. So she got ready anyway and we just hoped for the best. She decided she was going to be ok & was able to tough it out. She did an absolutely fantastic job. Her team was going crazy for her-they are so supportive. She ended up taking 2nd in her division, competing against 20 other girls. I was very surprised, and so proud of her. She was soooo happy! Way to go kiddo! The team competition is tomorrow & we will see if her her ankle will hold out. I hope she didn't work too hard today & overstress her injury. That would really backfire tomorrow. I hope she will be fine. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

They're baaaack!

Finally my babies have come home. Well two of them anyway. For Christmas break they all went to stay with their dads for a week. It literally felt like forever. I tried to enjoy my time alone, got lots of sleep for a change, spent lots of time with Jim, and tried to get caught up on housework...to no avail. It just is weird without them around. So things are happily back to normal...almost. Sierra wont be home for another week, and then Justice and Montana will be going to Hawaii for a week with Eric. I'm soooo jealous. They will have the time of their lives. It will be their first airplane ride. They are so excited, and I can't blame them.

Also during this last week, the fridge went out again. So I had all the food out in the snow to keep it cold. Which was quite handy, and I was thankful it wasn't 100 degrees in July when this happened. But it made access to the food tricky for a couple of days. But the repairman came and fixed the whatchawhozit that was broken, and we are back in business. It was a pricey repair, but definitely less than the cost of a new fridge- thank goodness.

I took Justice & Montana ice skating today at the Kearns Olympic Oval. I forgot my camera...so you will have to use your imagination. They are naturals at this. It took about 20 seconds for them to get the hang of it, and then they were off like rockets. I made several laps, but they did not want me slowing them down. It was a great workout. We were all pretty tuckered out when we decided to hauls our hineys home. So happy to have them home again!

December Madness

I am so far behind...let's see if I can catch up on the last 10 days. It's been crazy busy in our home.

Mom asked me several times what I would like for Christmas. So I decided to have her give me paint for the house. So for a solid week the house was turned upside down & I was scaling up and down a ladder painting. I painted the living room, family room & part of the kitchen that hadn't been done earlier in the year. It still needs touch ups but I am loving it! It makes such a big difference. My friend Diane has been so good to come and help me with this process...she is a master painter & absolutely loves it. Without her it never would have gotten done before Christmas. Thanks girl!

Sierra's drill team had a Semi-Formal Christmas Dinner. The moms made the food & dressed up like waitresses in black and white. We donned the tables in fine china, tablecloths, real silverware, and fancy glasses. It was a lot of fun doting on the girls and they loved it. We had Santa come & the girls had the funnest time. Singing at the top of their lungs and being silly with Santa. I made 4 pans of peach cobbler for the event and it was a hit.

Sierra also had another drill team competition, this time at Jordan High. It was a huge competition and a lot of fun seeing all the other teams from pretty much the whole state. They placed 4th in their dance routine. It's amazing to me that they can look soooo good and still not place. But it is brutally competitive. They have a couple more competitions in January so they are trying to revamp things, keep working hard, and hope to place better at the next two. The injuries and illnesses keep plaguing them so hopefully they will be rested up & good to go after the holidays. Sierra is totally loving drill team!! Go get 'em hon!

I took Justice & Montana sledding a couple of days ago. They were in hog-heaven. Justice is quite the dare devil. He was going head first down the steepest hill, with a giant smile on his face!! Lots of wipe-outs, snow in the face, cold toes and hands. But all in all a good time! We came home and had some hot chocolate & snuggled on the couch to watch Christmas Story! Our favorite family holiday movie. Good times!







I've been dating a really fantastic guy for the past few months. Jim has been spoiling me like crazy. It's weird, and fun, and I'm enjoying it. I'm just now introducing him to the kids and things are going really well so far. We have fun together and he makes me laugh & feel special. Everyone has been asking about him but he has requested that I keep him out of my blog writings. haha. So there is the brief skinny.

This past week has been a whirlwind of shopping, gift wrapping, getting the house ready for Christmas, more shopping, more wrapping, parties, and spending time with friends. It's been totally crazy but when the big day comes...it is always worth it. The kids loved their gifts and seemed to get all the things they wanted. I love seeing the smiles on their faces and in their eyes as they open their gifts! Such a fun time. I had to hold back the tears because it has been such a crazy year...but things have seemed to work themselves out despite all of it. We are so blessed & I am so thankful for everyday I get to spend with my kids, my amazingly supportive & loving parents, and my sweet man. Merry Christmas everyone!

A wild morning

While preparing to paint another room of the house today I was preoccupied while the kids were getting ready for school. Justice came out of the bathroom and had decided to cut his own hair. A big old chunk right out of the front of his bangs. It looks terrible so we will have to cut it all off to get it to look decent again. Montana was doing an art project and decided it needed some glitter- BANG- it's everywhere! Then Justice went out to the car before everyone else. I had turned it on to warm up a bit- and he thought it would be fun to put it in neutral. Montana started screaming so I came running to see what was going on...the Durango is rolling down the driveway and out into the street. Because our driveway is steep and the road behind it goes up in the opposite direction, once the car reached that point it started rolling forward again and up the driveway, then back down again. I was chasing the car trying to get inside and put it in park. Meanwhile Justice is screaming and crying, scared out of his mind. Luckily I was able to get in before it rolled back out into the street. Justi and I held each other and cried. It's hard to be mad when you are just glad they are alive. We took a minute to settle down and collect ourselves. Then I took the kids to school and was happy they were safe. I can only hope the rest of the day is uneventful. My heart is still racing. KIDS!!! The funny thing is Justice did the exact same thing when he was 2 or 3 and Sierra & I both were chasing the car down and Sierra actually got dragged a bit as she tried getting in the car. So it brought back a lot of old memories. Dude- you can't drive for 8 more years!!! He's a bit impatient I guess.

Now I can get back to my nice boring painting.

Date Night

Montana's Activity Days Group sponsored a date night. Her date (AKA Grampa Dave)was her escort for the evening. He came to pick her up & had a coursage for her and everything. It brought a tear to my eye...so sweet! They had dinner, pictures, & games at the church. It was a fall/farm theme and they dressed accordingly. From what I have heard, the guys had to do the girls hair and make-up. Tana said she looked like Cindy Lu Who from the Grinch. Then the girls shaved the guys with shaving cream & a tongue depresser turned sideway. Grampa said she started out being careful & then went to whackin' his nose and lips. haha. Sounds like they had fun.


Sierra had her Sadie Hawkins dance at school the same night. The theme was "Beauty & the Geek". They had shirts made that said "I'm with the Geek" and "I'm with the Beauty" and arrows pointing to the other person. I thought that was cute! The girls wore glasses with the lenses out & the guys wore tiaras?? OK?? Anyhoo...her and a bunch of her friends went together in a big group. Movie (Blind Side), Take-Out from Olive Garden at one of the girls houses (they had a room all decorated for Sadies), The Dance, and an afterparty at her dad's complete with Chocolate Fondue & a movie. She really wanted to go with Mark but he is not allowed to "date" until next year. So she went with another kid who took TWO WEEKS to answer her. She was really PO'd at him by the time he finally answered her, which was only a couple of days before the dance. Lame-o! Then he found out that she didn't "like" him, that he was just a friend date. Apparently, he is really into her and had his feelings hurt. So I guess the date was awkward...but they still had fun with everyone else in the group. Still waiting for pics from her. Will post soon I hope!

Hair & Teeth

It's been an eventful couple of days! My friend Diane asked if I would put highlights in her hair. I was a willing hairdresser although I have never done it before. I asked her if she would put some in Montana's hair also because she has been wanting them for a really long time. So we were entrenched in bleach, fumes, dyes, and hair for a couple of hours. Once Tana had her hair done, Justice really wanted his done too. I was leery, but we did it. They both turned out so cute. And Di turned out as well...thank goodness!! I was nervous! It's always fun to learn a new skill! Sierra found out that she can start a cosmetology license through school next year. By the time she graduates she will have her official license to style!!! She is pretty excited about that! I told her that learning a skill like that is fantastic because you can take it with you wherever you go...whether you work for yourself or someone else...and everyone needs their hair done-especially me!!




Then later last night Tana told me that her tooth was loose. Tana has a track record of 24 hours from a tooth being loose to actually being out of her head. I don't know what the deal is, but it is weird. So today after school she was crying about it hurting her, pulled on it a couple of times, and WHAM!! It was out! Maybe she has a high threshold for pain?? I think she only has 3 more baby teeth and then we can think about braces- ugh!!

Funny Word of the Day

Montana told me that "Hanakuhns" don't celebrate Christmas.

I explained to her that Hanakuh is a holiday, not a people. HAHA

So to make my point I told her that "Christmasans" don't celebrate Hanakuh. We had a pretty good belly laugh.

Dinner-time conversation

We try to sit down around the table for a family meal every night. It is one of my favorite times of the day. The tv is off, phones are put away, computers are not zapping attention. We always have some very lively conversation. They don't always love the food, but we all love each others company.

Last night we were talking about having babies. This is a frequent topic because of some of the shows that we love to watch together ie: 19 kids and counting, I didn't know I was pregnant, and bringing home baby. Tana has always been a baby lover, I love babies and the memories it brings me, and Justice is just fascinated with how it all works. So all of a sudden J starts asking the inevitable: how & where do they come out? Oh boy. He knew a lot more than I thought he would. Apparently he and his friend Jillian have talked in depth about this. So we just talked about it matter of fact and he was happy with that. Fun dinner conversation.

We were watching the 19 kids and counting right after dinner and it was the new episode where their oldest child is having the first Duggar grandbaby. It was not graphic at all but showed her in pain and working through some contractions. I said to Justice "You know...someday you are going to make me a grandma." He said "Nuh-uh...it will just be me, my wife, a dog, a cat, a bird, and an elephant. But noooooo babies!!!" I told him I would write that down and show him when he was older and HAD kids. He laughed. Tana piped up with " Mommy...don't worry...I'll make you a grandma!" I told her that was fantastic...but NO RUSH!!!

Sierra is still with her dad until Sunday. I talked to her yesterday and she told me that she had "broken up" with her "NCB" which is non-committal boyfriend. Apparently he was caught kissing another girl. I hate to see her upset about boys, but secretly I am happy to have her move on and not get too serious. It makes me crazy with worry. Hopefully next time she will have a "committed boyfriend". No wonder relationships are so complicated these days.

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Today marks the beginning of safety week for the kids at school. The principal encouraged the kids to walk to school today with their parents. The kids were very excited about this for some reason. Usually they cry if they have to walk, but today was different. We got to the school crosswalk and guess who was there? A person dressed in a chicken suit. Tana said "Mom, can I give the chicken a big hug?" I said sure. But when we got to him, she "chickened" out. Ahahah. OK, bad joke. As they helped the kids cross the crosswalk there were two other people holding up a banner that said "Why did the chicken cross the road...to get SAFELY to the other side." The idea was that everyone notices a giant yellow chicken, but sometimes motorists don't notice the children, the crosswalk, or the school zone. They were hoping that this CHICKEN day would raise awareness for the motorists in our area. I thought it was a cute idea, and the kids totally loved it. Wish I would have had my camera.

Weekly Update

I cannot believe it is October!!! Seriously, it is scary how time flys anymore.

The kids have been out of school for UEA since Wed. afternoon and wont go back until Tuesday. We have been trying to squeeze in as much fun as we can.

Justice and Montana wrote a script for their own newscast. I was laughing so hard when they put the show on for me. It was really well written, with the occassional "Here's Mary with the details", "Thanks, John..." (their newscaster names) and then on with the stories. I was running the video camera of course. It was fun to see that my kids are taking an interest in my job. They are always coming up with fun stuff to do.

I took the kids bowling Friday and we played a couple of games. Sierra was quite the coach for the little ones. They started throwing spares and we all ended up with pretty close scores! It was fun to see them being so proud of themselves and doing their little victory dances after each throw. It's one of our favorite family activities.

Sierra performed at the football game on Friday night. It had been raining all day and rained lightly just before the girls came out. The girls were freezing and couldn't wait to get out on the field. I asked her if they would perform if it was raining. She said, "Of course! We perform in the snow, rain, and mud! We didn't do all this work for nothing!" And that is the way it is. They looked amazing- as usual. These girls have learned a work ethic that is very impressive and really shows when they perform.

Had a conversation with mom and dad this morning about mom's health. She had an exam & cat scan done due to some scary memory lapses this week. They have ruled out a stroke but have not come to any definitive answers yet. She is going back to the doc this Friday for some more evaluations. She is worried and scared...but there really isn't much we can do other than observe her for now. Her blood pressure is also sky high. So she took the next couple of days off work and I hope she will be able to relax. Please pray for her.....

Little Nuggets

When I was a dance teacher it use to make me laugh when parents would say that I see their teenage kids more than they did. Well that has come true for me as well. Between drill, school, Stars, friends, and sleep---I hardly ever see my SiSi baby! I relish the weekends and days off from school so that I can spend at least a few uninterrupted hours with her. I remember being busy in high school too...but I think she is in overdrive. She manages to do it all, have fun, and still be such a good kid. I am so stinkin' proud of her!

Right now, Montana is enjoying hot cheetos and her first ever red slushee. She couldn't wait to rip into it, and now she has brain freeze and is covered in red cheeto dust. She's such a goof! I love it when she slows down for a minute for me to enjoy some time with her as well. She has been growing into quite the "tweener". Not a little kid, not yet a teenager= some where in between. And we have been feeling the growing pains this week. She is exploring her independance and parental boundaries. She made some new friends and has not been making wise choices this week. Not telling me where she is going, coming home late, fighting with me about being grounded for the previous. She doesn't quite understand why I won't just let her roam around completely unsupervised. It has been a rough week- but I hope I can get thru to her that I MUST know where she is, where she is going, and lying about it will only get you in more trouble. The fun begins!

Justice has always been very impatient & has a million plans in the works. There is never a dull moment with him. He has project after project lined up, and now that we are spending more time with my parents, he has projects lined up for them too. First it was make a pirate ship out of a milk jug, then rearrange his bedroom furniture, then rearrange it again the next day, draw a realistic race car, have a sleepover, help mom clean the carpets, vaccuum the dog bed at least once or twice a day, fill mason jars with water- do all kinds of floaty & mixing experiments, build a wood boat with grampa, ride his bike, play the Wii & computer games, jump on the trampoline, etc, etc, etc. We have accomplished 98% of this list because he is non-stop energy and bugs you about every detail until you make it happen! What a kid.

I will be happy for this 4 day weekend to come to a close...but then next week is a 5 day weekend for the kids. It's UEA for them and we will be squeezing all the fun we can into it!!

A novel

Wow! I don't think I have gone 10 days without blogging in the last 3 years. I kept putting it off because not much was going on...now I have a novel to write to catch things up.

Today would have been my brother John & his sweet wife Amy's 20th anniversary. Amazing. They are both on my mind. I can't believe it has been that long...and yet it does seem like a life time ago that he was here with us. We miss him like crazy. Can't wait to kick his butt in the next life!! I love you bud & you too Amos!!

Justice has taken up piano lessons with my mom. I suggested that Montana take them and he ran with it. So he is plunking away every chance he gets now. I started looking for a teacher close by, but he insisted that Grama be the one to teach him. And she is fabulous. He is doing soooo good in school. He & his sister both are great at math and spelling! So we proudly display all the 100% papers they bring home. He is still riding his bike everywhere, and he especially loves riding it to school.

Montana is growing up so quickly that it is honestly like watching a movie on fast forward. She is very diligent about reading and keeping up with her homework. I don't have to even ask her to get started. Of all three kids she seems to be the only one who actually ENJOYS reading and can't wait to go to the library to pick out a new one. She runs around with a pack of girls. It is pretty funny because they can't do anything one on one...it's the 4 of them or none of them. They are good kids.

Sierra just attended her first high school dance. She went to Homecoming with Wesley, who is a cute kid, but despite all the great things I have heard about him, he is 18 and it makes me nervous. She also was FINALLY able to perform with the drill team, and twice in one day. They had a homecoming assembly in the morning and then also performed at the football game that night with the dance co. & cheerleaders. I am working on pictures and will post them soon. She is still dancing with Stars too so it is dance 24/7 with this chick. She absolutely loves it.

I am still enjoying my new job with Fox. It is challenging in every way but fun too. The people I work with are fantastic and make coming to work something I look forward to. I am getting sleep while the kids are at school and life seems to go on as normal. We are all still adjusting to mom working out of the home, and having to shuffle kids around while I work, but it will get easier. The kids have been great about it are learning more about life than I would like them to at their tender ages...but, it is something they would have to learn eventually. My parents have really been fantastic about watching the kids at night while I work, and helping get them to & from their activities when I can't be there. I am so thankful for them...they never complain and are willing to step in at a moments notice. What in the world would I ever do with out them.

On a sad note...I spoke with a friend today who's teenage child attempted suicide by hanging. Luckily he had texted a friend prior and his mom was able to rush to his side and help him until police & paramedics could arrive to offer medical treatment. He survived with only moderate injuries...however, of course the emotional trauma is insurmountable. I am having a flood of emotions for my friend, for her son, and their family. They are working with a counselor, medication, and family therapy as well. Even though I have lived through a very similar situation, it is so easy to forget how quickly our family can be snatched from us. Life is rough, icky, and downright dispicable sometimes. But we can not let it get us down. If we let it & work at it...life can be tender, fun, beautiful, inspiring, and full of love. My new motto is let go & let God! May He be with us all thru our ups and downs and carry us through the difficult moments when we think we can't go on. The sun will shine on us again, if we allow it! <3 <3 <3

Mini Drill 09 Pt. 1

Yesterday was the first day of the big Mini Drill Fundraiser. Montana was registered to participate and then at the last minute Justice decided he wanted to do it too. There was another boy participating in his age group and he thought it would be fun. Sierra warned us not to do it, but he really wanted to. Once they started learning the dances we decided it was WAY too girly and so he decided to ride his bike instead. We had brought it for him to have fun on while the girls danced. Turns out, it was a good idea. So he was just supporting his sister.

Montana was having the time of her life!! I think she was so excited to have a friend in her class (one of our neighbors) and she was showing off a bit. I love seeing her smile and enjoy herself like that! It will be fun to see her dance at the game on Friday!

Sierra was teaching another age group that neither Justice or Montana were in. She is a very patient teacher and really enjoys it. It was fun to watch her in action. A few moms and I helped with registration and getting people & t-shirts organized. After that I just cruised around taking pics of all the kids. Fun night! We will repeat classes tonight & then the kids perform at the game on Friday night! I will post more pics then!

First Day of School 09

Today was the first day of school for all my kiddos! The kids were excited to say the least. Sierra had drill at 6:15, so when she got up to get ready, so did everyone else. They were all dressed and ready at 5:30 and came to wake me up. Who are these people? The younger two were pretty disappointed as the hours ticked slowly by. Their school didn't start until 9:00...which felt like forever. So hopefully tomorrow they will sleep in a bit longer!

Sierra started high school and said that she thought it was pretty boring and not what she expected at all. I guess she was expecting fireworks and parties or something. She likes her teachers so far and was able to find her classes. So that is a great start.

Sierra

Chirons wore one of their many day outfits. I guess this is so the school gets to know the drill team.


Justice

Montana

In front of the school

Justice and his super cool backpack

Tana with her plaid backpack that she LOVES...wanted to walk with her friends

Justice & Tana both had a great day as well. Justice only had one sheet of easy homework (THANK YOU!) but it looks like Tana will be loaded down on a daily basis. Hopefully we can get it down to a quick routine. But overall...it was a great day for everyone. They were happy to see their friends and although they wont admit it...we are glad summer is over.

Montana turns 10!!

Montana decided to do a beach themed birthday party. We had fun with the decorations and cake and everything. Mom and I made a flip flop shaped cake. I found the directions online...it didn't turn out quite the same, but it was still cute! We headed to Cowabunga Bay for a splash party with her friends and the family. Once we got there they said they were closing early for a company party...BOO!!!!...so we moved camp over to the Kearns Pool instead...which rocked. They had a blast, indoors and outdoors.

We came home and had pizza, cake & icecream...opened presents and then the girls slept over. She was spoiled as usual by her sweet friends and her crazy grandparents! She was in heaven. She said she didn't actually turn 10 until she blew out the candles. I thought that was cute! She really is turning into a little lady. We love you Tana! Happy Birthday!


Bathing Beauties


The Birthday Girl


The Flip Flop Cake

An adventurous day!

Yesterday Montana, Justice & I woke up and were ready to get out and do something. I didn't want to spend a lot of money so we looked on line for things to do in Salt Lake that are free. The weather was a bit rainy and overcast so we decided it had to be indoors as well. We all decided on going to the Church Museum downtown. We had gone there a couple of years ago with the primary and the kids really enjoyed it. Since admission is free (my favorite word), I thought it would be fun to take Trax (the train) downtown since the kids have never been on it. Well I think Tana went once when she was still in a stroller, but she doesn't remember it.

So we bought our tickets and patiently waited for the train to come. The kids were so excited. When the train came by Montana grabbed and hugged Justice thinking he was going to get run over. It was really sweet but of course he was totally annoyed by her grabbing him. I had to laugh. It wasn't very crowded so we easily found our seats and let the adventure begin. There were lots of colorful people all around us...girl with nasty dreadlocks and face full of piercings, homeless looking guy with rainbow belt, rainbow bag & rainbow t-shirt who repeated all the announcements along with the loudspeaker, and all other walks of life. The kids didn't even notice...but I was afraid they would say something as they have not mastered keeping thoughts to themselves. They waited with anticipation for our stop to come. When it finally did they stood up and held the pole just a little to early, and then when the trained really stopped they both almost fell down...it was cute and everyone around us laughed.

We bounded off to the museum and had a really great time looking at everything. So much history there and so many artifacts to look at. We were able to see a lot more than we did the last time we were there. The kids had a blast in the I'm a child of God section. They played with baby dolls at the pretend hospital, did CTR rubbings in 100's of languages, built temples with blocks, played dress up in the nativity area, walked through Lehi's tree of life vision/dream (my favorite part), put together stained glass window puzzles on the wall, and so much more. It was hard to drag them out of that part. Another of my favorite sections was the prophets exhibit. They had a little section for each of the prophets with memorabilia and photos or video. I loved Brigham Young's sunglasses. They were rectangle and wrapped around the side with dark green lenses. I also loved President Kimball's conference microphone that hooked onto his glasses (it reminded me of my call center days), and it was oh so 70's. Technology has come a long way. Then we came to the President Hinkley exhibit and I was overcome with the spirit and admiration, and the tears started flowing. Maybe it's because he died so recently or maybe just because I really loved him, and I'm a total sap. He was truly amazing. We spent several hours looking at everything. If you haven't been it is really interesting and worth the trip.

We took the train home- and it was just as adventurous. I was surprised how easy it was to get exactly where we wanted to go. No transfers, no train numbers. Just get on the train going the right direction and get off when you want to. The kids definately want to do that again. I think we could just ride the train all around town and they would be happy!

We spent the rest of the day finishing our school shopping and having dinner. We are all set! The kids found out their teachers...Montana has Kirby and she is NOT happy about it, and Justice has Nafus. Nafus was Montana's second grade teacher too and she will whip him into shape. So hopefully we will have a good year! Sierra needs to register this week and she will get her schedule, locker assignment/combo, and all that jazz.

Speaking of Sierra, she called at 2:00 last night but I didn't hear the phone ring. So when I got the message this morning about a car on fire in front of her dad's house, I panicked a little. I called immediately and woke them up-sorry! I guess it was across the street but was popping loudly and was pretty scary. They are fine and no damage to their house. But I don't know all the details yet. I guess it happened by some of the homes that are still under construction. Weird! So hopefully they will get to the bottom of that.

So I think that was enough adventure for one day!

All good things must come to an end

Went to see Julie & Julia last night with Mom & Montana. It was fantastic. I thought the way they combined the two story lines was fantastic. I became especially intrigued with Julia Childs love life. I am looking for the book "My life in Paris" which outlines her journey through Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School and the relationship between her and her husband. According to the movie Julia was a eternally optimistic and lovable person. She was especially devoted to her husband and he to her. They were not able to have children although she desperately wanted them. I guess the thing that intrigues me most is how she had no idea what she wanted to do with her life. She just kind of drifted around until she fell into what she loved to do. And then she became a huge success. I guess I'm hoping that's a bit how my life will turn out--not expecting the success part though.

Here is the update on my job search adventure. I have applied for so many jobs I have lost count. For the most part, they email back and say that you did not get the position...but most you just don't hear back from. I applied for three different Master Control positions with local stations here...was turned down by two and still waiting to hear from the third. My most promising opportunity is with IHC in their phlebotomy program. They took applications from 535 people and chose 75 to interview. From there they chose 30 for a second interview. I was so shocked to get that call back! They only have 12 positions to fill. So I have about a 50/50 chance. I am keeping a positive attitude that this will work out. It would be a fantatic job. I will fill you in on the details when thing work out!! I am excited that I have gotten this far.

School starts on the 24th and we are all so excited!! Sierra is starting High School, Montana will be in 4th grade, and Justice will be in 2nd grade. For the most part they have just had a super lazy, do nothing summer. Sierra has been busy with drill, but then she comes home and is so exhausted that she sleeps most of the rest of the day. So we are ready to get back to normal. They are all on each others nerves and just ready for friends, learning, and some place new to go. I'm so thankful that we have had all summer to hang out together. But I think summer has overstayed it's welcome!! Just like my unemployment!! All good things must come to an end.

Birthday Shopping for Tana Bear

Montana's birthday is quickly approaching. We have made plans for her birthday party to be at Cowabunga Bay with a few close friends and family. Every day she gets more and more excited. She only has 23 things on her birthday wish list. 23!!! I told her to plan on one or two things and not to be disappointed. We aren't going to shower you with gifts sweetie!!

She went shopping with Grama Laura yesterday and felt like a queen for the rest of the day. She took her to Build-A-Bear and she made the CUTEST bear complete with a leopard print & black dress with matching leopard shoes. She and "Shasta" have been inseperable since. Grama also took her to buy a couple pairs of shoes. But she doesn't get to have those until the party! Grama is such a spoiler of my kids!! She's the best!

Her dad is also going to have a special surprise outing for her! So it's safe to say she will have a fantastic birthday!! We love her so much.

What's goin' on??

Justice plays his last summer soccer game today. He is so excited to get his trophy. He has done a fantastic job this season. Really getting the hang of it and getting in the mix. Yesterday he had two kicks that were going the right direction and had some real power. It was awesome!!


Justice has been number 6 several times...we decided this is his lucky number


Cheesin' It!


In line for pix


The Team

Justice & Montana have really been enjoying their dance class. They practice a lot at home and talk about it constantly. Tana is developing her own style which involves a lot of high kicks, power toe touches with a giant stomp on take off, a triple inside pirouette (wow!), and a lot of hip gyrating. It's kind of a mix of self taught hip-hop, and contemporary. She told me she thinks her class is too easy for her and that she should move up. I told her I think we will let the teacher make that decision. Such confidence!! So nice to see that coming from her!!

Justice has his class dance that he loves to practice and one that he choreographed himself to "All I wanna do" by Sugarland-complete with lip syncing. To watch it the first time it looks like he is just goofing around doing whatever pops into his head. But I have seen it many times and it is EXACTLY the same everytime. Lasso roping, lots of pony type steps, and moves that mimic the words of the song. His facial expression make it so fun to watch. What a card!!


J & M in class---check out that heel stretch with flexed foot!! Classic!!

Sierra has been driving to drill practice every morning. We get up at 5:30 and she drives--which really wakes me up for the drive home. I am really proud of her. She listens and learns so quickly. She is a pretty confident and safe driver. She told me yesterday that she is not taking drivers ed thru the school because she really wanted to take seminary!!! Seminary over Drivers Ed??? Still letting that one sink in. Honestly I am shocked because church is not her favorite thing. I am grateful that seminary is there for her and that she loves it.

We went to a BBQ for the drill team families last night. It was fun. Lots of food and games. An egg on a spoon relay with 3 teams: the moms, the dads, and the drill girls. The drill girls "won" but Sierra admitted later that they TOTALLY cheated!!! What the heck!! Then we played waterballoon toss. Justice was my partner-we broke about 8 balloons and never caught it one time. It was fun tho! Then Justice & Montana got into a real volleyball game with a couple dads, a few kids, and Julia from the team. Good times.

We are planning Montana's Birthday Bash. It's in two weeks!! She is soooooo excited. My baby girl is turning 10??? What??? We are going to the new Cowabunga Bay with a few of her friends and our family! Should be fun!

Guess that's it for the update.....